The recommendations for China, published Tuesday by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, were accompanied by findings on Germany, Iceland, Sao Tome and Principe, Slovakia, Spain, Timor-Leste and Venezuela.
The committee noted that while the representation of women in political and public life in China has increased, it was concerned that women represented only 26.54% of deputies in the 14th National People’s Congress. It urged China to increase the number of women in all government bureaus, including the judiciary and foreign service, especially at decision-making levels.
“From October 2022, there will be no women among the 24 members of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China for the first time in 20 years, and no women among the seven members of the Standing Committee of the Politburo.”
The Committee noted that it was concerned about excessive restrictions on the registration of NGOs, as well as reports of intimidation and harassment against women human rights defenders.
China’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
The UN also urged China to repeal “disproportionate restrictions” on NGO registration and ensure that women human rights defenders are not subjected to intimidation, harassment and retaliation for their work.
Academics and activists say Chinese President Xi Jinping’s decade as general secretary of the party has seen a decline in the number of women in politics and elite government roles and a widening gender gap in the workforce.
Feminist voices have also been suppressed and, in recent years, the government has increasingly emphasized the value of traditional roles for women as mothers and caregivers.
(Additional reporting by Martin Pollard in Beijing; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)